A 7‐year survey of dermatophytoses in Crete, Greece

Dermatophytoses are of worldwide distribution. Epidemiological studies concerning dermatophyte infections have been performed in many countries and differences in the incidence and the aetiological agents have been reported in different geographical locations. This study was undertaken to investigate the prevailing species of dermatophytes in the island of Crete, Greece, and their pattern of infection during a 7‐year period (1997–2003). A total of 5544 samples obtained from 3751 patients with clinically suspected dermatomycoses were examined mycologically in the laboratory of Clinical Microbiology at the University Hospital of Crete, Greece. Skin, hair and nail specimens were subjected to direct microscopy and culture. Dermatophytes were isolated from 520 patients (13.9%). Trichophyton rubrum was the most frequently isolated dermatophyte accounting for 48% of the infections, followed by Microsporum canis (17.9%), Trichophyton mentagrophytes var. interdigitale (14.2%) and Epidermophyton floccosum (6%). Tinea unguium, tinea pedis, tinea corporis, tinea capitis, tinea cruris, tinea manuum and tinea facei were the clinical types of dermatophytoses in decreasing order of frequency. Trichophyton rubrum is the predominant dermatophyte in our area. As the epidemiology of dermatophytoses is changing over time it is important to review periodically the incidence of dermatophytes and their distribution.

[1]  Y. Tselentis,et al.  The epidemiology of onychomycoses in Crete, Greece, between 1992 and 2001 , 2006, Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology : JEADV.

[2]  Z. Barišić,et al.  Dermatophytoses in Split and Dalmatia, Croatia, 1996–2002 , 2004, Mycoses.

[3]  A. Katsambas,et al.  Etiology of tinea capitis in Athens, Greece – a 6‐year (1996–2001) retrospective study , 2004, Mycoses.

[4]  B. Elewski,et al.  Epidemiologic surveillance of cutaneous fungal infection in the United States from 1999 to 2002. , 2004, Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

[5]  S. Metintaş,et al.  Frequency and risk factors of dermatophytosis in students living in rural areas in Eskişehir, Turkey , 2004, Mycopathologia.

[6]  K. Abu-Elteen,et al.  Prevalence of Dermatophytoses in the Zarqa District of Jordan , 2004, Mycopathologia.

[7]  Aditya K. Gupta,et al.  Superficial fungal infections: an update on pityriasis versicolor, seborrheic dermatitis, tinea capitis, and onychomycosis. , 2003, Clinics in dermatology.

[8]  G. Midgley,et al.  Scalp ringworm in south‐east London and an analysis of a cohort of patients from a paediatric dermatology department , 2003, The British journal of dermatology.

[9]  R. Summerbell,et al.  Non-dermatophyte onychomycosis. , 2003, Dermatologic clinics.

[10]  M. Boffa,et al.  Characteristics of superficial mycoses in Malta , 2003, International journal of dermatology.

[11]  M. Monod,et al.  Survey of Dermatophyte Infections in the Lausanne Area (Switzerland) , 2002, Dermatology.

[12]  T. Koussidou,et al.  Onychomycosis in Northern Greece during 1994–1998 , 2002, Mycoses.

[13]  I. Kuklová,et al.  Dermatophytoses in Prague, Czech Republic, between 1987 and 1998 , 2001, Mycoses.

[14]  G. Midgley,et al.  Tinea capitis in Europe: new perspective on an old problem , 2001, Journal of the European Academy of Dermatology and Venereology : JEADV.

[15]  J. Gil-Tomás,et al.  The aetiological agents of tinea capitis in Zaragoza (Spain) , 2001, Mycoses.

[16]  Y. Tselentis,et al.  Survey on the epidemiology of Microsporum canis infections in Crete, Greece over a 5‐year period , 2000, International journal of dermatology.

[17]  C. Romano.  Tinea capitis in Siena, Italy. An 18‐year survey , 1999, Mycoses.

[18]  Muhsin,et al.  Characteristics of dermatophytoses in Basrah, Iraq , 1999, Mycoses.

[19]  B. Elewski,et al.  Onychomycosis: Pathogenesis, Diagnosis, and Management , 1998, Clinical Microbiology Reviews.

[20]  Y. Tselentis,et al.  Dermatophytoses in Crete, Greece, between 1992 and 1996 , 1998, Mycoses.

[21]  S. Silvennoinen-Kassinen,et al.  Dermatophytes in northern Finland in 1982–90 , 1995, Mycoses.

[22]  E. Svejgaard.  Epidemiology of dermatophytes in Europe. , 1995, International journal of dermatology.

[23]  R. Summerbell,et al.  The dermatophytes , 1995, Clinical microbiology reviews.

[24]  D. Devliotou-Panagiotidou,et al.  Dermatophytosis in northern Greece during the decade 1981–1990 , 1995, Mycoses.

[25]  C. Staats,et al.  Fungal infections in the Netherlands. Prevailing fungi and pattern of infection. , 1995, Dermatology.

[26]  R. Aly.  Ecology and epidemiology of dermatophyte infections. , 1994, Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

[27]  M. Mahmoudi,et al.  Dermatophytoses in Iran , 1994, Mycoses.

[28]  A. Oriani,et al.  Dermatophytes and dermatophytoses in the Milan area between 1970 and 1989 , 1993, Mycoses.

[29]  M. K. Moore,et al.  Current Topics in Medical Mycology , 1992, Current Topics in Medical Mycology.

[30]  J. Rippon.  The changing epidemiology and emerging patterns of dermatophyte species. , 1985, Current topics in medical mycology.